The Wanganui Herald (Published Daily.) TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1920. THE MEAT GLUT.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16046, 10 February 1920, Page 4

The Wanganui Herald (Published Daily.) TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1920. THE MEAT GLUT.

The information contained in today’s cables concerning the glut in the meat market at Home is anything but reassuring to New Zealand producers and exporters*. It but adds to their anxiety, and emphasises more than ever the gross injustices inflicted upon them through the shortage of shipping and the disparity in the purchase price of the colonial meat and that at which it has been retailed to the consumer. The congestion of meat ships in the Thames is unprecedented: eleven are discharging gradually in accordance with deliveries from store, twelve are awaiting berths at other ports, and steamers are on the point of arrival. And the irony of it is that the millions of Britain cannot purchase meat at a reasonable price, while millions more on the Continent are virtually starving, to say nothing of the hold-up of shipping which is so urgently needed to bring goods out from the Old Land, and to relieve the congestion in the freezing chambers and other stores in the Dominion. What stupendous maladministration and bungling by the Imperial authorities! What utter callous indifference displayed by the great shipping rings! And what a reward for colonial loyalty and patriotism! Mr Massey persistently denies the allegation that the Imperial Government has favoured foreign interests at the expense of New Zealand interests, but the evidence is all against him, and no specious pleading for himself or the Imperial authorities will disprove the fact that New Zealand has not been allotted the ships to which she is justly entitled. This has been admitted by no less an authority than the London Times, which has pointed out that the great shipping magnates who are closely associated with other big commercial concerns, are opening up new services and markets in Europe and the East which are much more profitable to them than the trade with the far dependencies of the Empire. So much for the loyalty and patriotism of the shipping rings and manufacturing combines, whose idea of Empire and Empire-building is influenced only by £ s. d.